Editorials

Of floods and human ingenuity

The ability to recognise patterns is a crucial factor not only to humans but to other animals as well. Pattern recognition is a process in which we use multiple senses in order to make decisions. Even animals with less-developed thinking abilities like Koalas use pattern recognition to find and consume eucalyptus leaves. But humans are the most amazing, pattern-recognising animals of all. The human brain has developed more and they have the ability to recognise many different types of patterns - and then transform them into concrete, actionable steps. Spatial positioning in the environment, remembering findings, and detecting hazards and resources to increase chances of survival are some of the examples of the application of pattern recognition in humans. In dealing with other natural occurrences too such as earthquakes, volcanoes and floods, people need to remember findings, look out for hazards and identify resources to increase ways to prevent or minimise damages.

But despite the obvious pattern of floods occurring every year in the state, it is a matter of shame that the government have not taken any positive actions or measures to prevent them or minimise damages all these times. Not to put the blame entirely on defective cognitive functioning or being unable to recognise patterns, the recent flooding of the capital city is also due to the complacency and lackadaisical manner of the authorities or departments concerned. There is no reason why some parts of the capital city should remain totally submerged in water for days while others remain completely dry if not for under-enforced development standards.

Of course, flooding usually occurs when an extreme volume of water is carried by rivers, creeks and many other geographical features into areas where the water cannot be drained adequately. The state witnesses flood due to excessive rain which then results in overflow of rivers, lakes and dams, which adds to cause large amounts of damage to people’s lives and property. Here, long term plans and more concentrated efforts are required, and due credit must also be given to the state government which has taken up numerous initiatives such as river cleansing and embankment projects. But that cannot be an excuse anymore especially in areas where flooding is quite preventable with proper development and management of drainage systems as we often find during times of heavy rainfall, drainage systems in residential areas are not adequate. Almost all of the drains in the state run directly into the rivers, and the areas which were inundated due to the level of drains being lower than the increasing levels of river water. And instead of water flowing into the rivers, it was the other way round. This is where the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has to exude an active role and totally redesign the drainage system in the defective areas and also especially keep an eye on the unchecked civil development which severely impedes the functionality of an otherwise acceptable drainage system.

Floods inflict large scale damages and cause extremely large numbers of fatalities everywhere but often due to under-enforced development standards, a large amount of damages and many deaths which could be otherwise avoided, are allowed to happen. Let this not be the case anymore, and as citizens who can demand our rights for the preservation of our traditions and culture or a plastic free environment, people can also demand their rights for a state free from artificially-created floods. This can be achieved not by agitations and protests but by highlighting the problems and aiding the efforts of the government and dropping petty interests such as private land issues for the welfare of all. Most flood destruction is attributable to humans’ desire to live near beautiful coastlines and in fertile river valleys. Aggravating the problem is a tendency for developers to backfill and build on wetlands that would otherwise act as natural flood buffers.

Whether floods are caused by natural, ecological or anthropogenic factors either individually or as a combined result; it is the unbound duty of the people to find ways to combat the natural menace. Many governments mandate that residents of flood-prone areas purchase flood insurance and build flood-resistant structures. Massive efforts to mitigate and redirect inevitable floods have resulted in some of the most ambitious engineering efforts ever seen such as the extensive levee system in New Orleans, USA, and massive dikes and dams in the Netherlands. And highly advanced computer modeling have now let disaster authorities predict with amazing accuracy where floods will occur and how severe they are likely to be. Surely a co-operative attitude on the part of the citizens and careful planning and activities from the government’s side can help in mitigating the problems of flood in the state.

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